Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-03-26

The annual rush 10 the west has COM
menced, by persons who wish TO take
Horace Greeley's advice 10 grow up with
the country" and Others who have Few
hundred dollars 10 spare and would like to
see their money invested in the lands and
lots of the west. Sons of Clark county
farmers. professional and business men who
have lost their health and workingmen who
are out Of work, form the greater number
of such emigrants. Some OF the farmers
of this vicinity are selling out and going
west 10 re-inyest.
Western real estate is a good investment
II good land is secured. and at reasonable
prices. II you can buy good farm with
first-rste soil in either Kansas or Nebraska
at SIS or SO an acre. the investment Is first
rate. because the price cannot fail to double
In ten years. The great Seward said in the
L. S. senate. in one OF his speeches. that
every acre of good agricultural land in the
United States will be worth san by the year
1900, if our national prosperity remains un-
checked. With the exception of certain
localities. il looks very much as if the pre-
diction might be verified. We have
an enormous territory. il is true, but ii IS
not all agricultural land. and tsettlemen is
going on at an appalling rate. When Spring
field and Clark county people go west. they
either go to Kansas, Nebraska or TO South
ern California Hundreds of thousands of
acres in Kansas are owned by Clark county
- III i
not far behind. think that Kansas is the
BEST ADVERTISED STATE
in the union, with Nebraska not far behind.
ANY number of people will tell you that
there is a. good land in other states as in
Kansas: that Missouri i a better state, with
a greater diversity of productions. etc. II
Is no use. nansas has the call. and in time
she will be more crowded than either Mis-
scuri or even Iowa OF Illinois.
Mr.. W K. Linn. of this city. who has
devoted his life 20 the western land buSi.
ness. said good thing on this subject. He
said: The reputation of Missouri as ali
old aye-hOlding state has injured her very
much. The northern emigrani. when he
takes the train for the west. sleeps over
Missouri and wakes up beyond, in Kansas"
There Is everything in the popularity OF
a state. and II i To the immense popularity Y
of Kansas and Nebraska and 10 the bound
less amount Of newspaper advertising they
have received. that they owe their marvel
Ously rapid settlement
Ii may not be generally known
that no more land can be
purchased outright from the
government except on certain rare occa-
siOns when the government sells a certain
amount of land at auction.
In Kansas agricultural land can still be
purchased from private holders for from
S5 TO SIS an acre, but it is being rapidly
taken up. Some nf the land in the thickly
settled portions Of Kansas commands p
price of from So Ia $50 an acre Land w.
the southeastern part uf Nebraska. whi, h
is the garden spot Of the state comman, 5
fully the latter price We~ McMill-n. of
this city. said the other day: Il was recent
IL in Kansas and Travelled pretty well Owe
the state. found 'kat lands which werr
selling tor - or SO per acre fve years agr
are now bringing IS IT SO"
The Springfield investors In western land
have general made money our of their ill.,
vestment,. Two Springfield gentlemen
bought tract of land hear GarGen City.
Kas.. several years ago. Several years
later they held the tract of 100 acres a,
SIS. 900 ard finally got ~. 900 for it. Owing
10 the increase in the size of Garden CITY
the land has now risen in price to 500 per
acre, making the yaiuc of the tract SIG. 600
hear that Ross Mitchell has invested al
least $40 600 in Kansas land during the
past few years, and that the Thomases
own Kansas land TO the amount of SIS. 900
or so.
Mr. Bookwalter's big tract. which he
bought from the railroads for a song. is 10
Gated in Nebraska. Ii was 10 look after
abroad surveys in connection with this
land which brought Mr. Bonkwalter back
from Europe the last time. Mr. Bookwsi-
ter has the greatest confidence in the steady
advancement Of Kansas and Nebraska, and
believes that they will become two OF the
leading states in the union. One OF the
greatest sources Of their prosperity will be
the fact that the Mississippi river will give
them cheap transportation for their pro-
duce.
There are still millions of acres of gov
ernment land in over dozen states, open 10
pre-empfion. desperate attempt was
made 10 repeal the pTe-emptiOn law during
the late congress. but was unsuccessful
ANY young man in this city can 20 to the
west and secure possession of 100 acres OF
land at les per acre if he is willing to re-
side on il for six months. Under the home
stead law, land can be obtained free by a
longer period of residence. The most as
founding and unblushng frauds are said TO
be committed under the pre-emption laws